Under threat of eviction, Cliffside Park PAL rallies supporters

Ben Silber, 11, of Cliffside Park, jumps on the box to warm up at the PAL gym in the borough.

The Cliffside Park Police Auxiliary League (PAL) gym is facing possible eviction from the space it has occupied for most of the past decade.

The PAL gym, which sat atop Stadium Appliance on Anderson Avenue until that tenant moved out late last year, has space dedicated to academic support as well as to fitness, and provides an after-school refuge for Cliffside Park students.

Capt. Tim Kelly, who serves as the director of the PAL program, proudly acknowledges the role his program plays in keeping kids safely and productively engaged after school.

"We provide a comfortable, non-threatening environment for kids. We have computers for the kids to use, while many of them don't even have a single computer at home. We offer free tutoring for kids who desperately need extra help, but can't afford to hire a tutor and are turning out champion weightlifters. The gym is always crowded. To me, all of this means success," Kelly said.

Kelly was recently served with an eviction notice from the holding company that owns the Anderson Avenue property, asking that the gym vacate its space no later than Jan 31.

According to William Maer, a spokesman for the borough, Cliffside Park sent the holding company, a 'good faith' letter in December 2012 explaining that it was exploring a purchase of the building. This placed the pending eviction on hold, and the gym remains in the building for now.

"At this point the program is continuing, rent is still being paid and the children are still benefiting from the program," Maer said. "Currently the borough is waiting on inspection reports and an appraisal of building before moving forward with a potential condemnation. The borough's long term priority is to make sure that PAL has an appropriate facility."

"At this point we are working toward keeping the program operational; we do not want any disruption in the program," he added.

Success takes many forms at the PAL gym, and director Marc Cohen, who embraces his multi-faceted role as trainer, mentor and sometimes father-figure, plays a vital role in much of it.

To be certain, Cohen takes the dedication and self-discipline required seriously in order to achieve the heights of professional weightlifting, and imparts these values to the young men he trains.

"In order to be part of my weight-lifting program, students must maintain at least an 80 overall average. I know that sounds harsh, but I am 'old school' when it comes to that. Hard work in school translates to hard work in the gym and vice versa," he said.

The PAL gym has played a vital role in Cliffside Park.

Cohen recounts the story of Andrew Simeone, whose father, Ronald, a now retired Cliffside Park police sergeant, brought him to the PAL gym at age 10.

"Andrew was never the best lifter, but he got the farthest of any kid I ever trained. Not only did he overcome a physical challenge, he can now lift 242 pounds over his head and won a silver medal in the National Junior Olympics. Andrew had the longest journey, which resulted in him finding self-confidence." Choking back tears, Cohen added, "Seeing someone grow out of their shell is the best reward a coach could ever get."

Simeone, now 19 and nearly a 4.0 student at the College of New Jersey in Trenton, reflected on his days at PAL.

"The habits I developed at PAL will serve me for life. I would encourage every kid in Cliffside Park to take advantage of the opportunity to train with [Cohen}. He knows what he's doing and he really cares," Simeone said.

Under Cohen's direction, the PAL weight-lifting program boasts some notable success stories. Israel Bravo is completely blind. He was a young boy when Cohen met him.

"We made sure Israel was brought to the gym and taken home after workouts. He quickly became the only blind Olympic weightlifter in the country," Cohen recalled.

The Cliffside Park Police Department is also a direct beneficiary of the discipline taught at the PAL gym. Officer Anibal Rios, a longtime participant of the PAL program, is a member of the force.

"I was the first kid in Cliffside Park to ever go to the Junior Nationals. Marc [Cohen] got me there. He pushed me and motivated me. I would recommend that every Cliffside Park kid who wants to become a stronger person and a better athlete go to the PAL gym," Rios said.